by Shelley Fowler
Even though I try to live each day with a thankful heart, I am glad that there is a specific day set aside when all of us are reminded that giving thanks is very important.
I know that it may seem that the special Thursday is all about preparing and then devouring the dear turkey and all its trimmings. Or it may be that the allure of the day is watching football games on a full stomach. Or possibly, the day of thanks is actually just the day before the race for giant store sales.
But, hopefully there is a minute or two in the day when almost everyone stops and thinks, then gives thanks for all their blessings, big and small. Here are a few things that fill my heart with thankfulness.
I’m so thankful that we can still give God the credit for our blessings. In some places it is becoming quite perilous to ones life and social standing to speak that three letter name, and even more to give His son, Jesus, credit for anything. Which leads to the fact I’m thankful to be living in America, and even more thankful to be living in Oklahoma.
I am thankful for ears that can hear the new chimes resonating from high atop the Methodist Church. And I’m impressed with the progressive, energetic and contributing people who made it possible for them to so lustily ring!
I hold great thankfulness for my family and friends. Not only the ones I communicate with on a daily basis, but also those who have touched my heart and soul all along the path of life. Some of them have passed beyond the earth’s realm, but their absence doesn’t dim my love or wonderful memories. Others are alive and well and just on a different path at the moment.
I am thankful that our little town offers little girls a feeling of safeness. I found this out by attending last week’s Miss Cimarron County pageant and during the Princess division. Almost every girl answered the query “What do you like most about living in Cimarron County?” with a statement about feeling safe within the familiar fold of family and folks they’ve known all their lives.
And even though my list of things to give thanks for could fill an entire page of the newspaper, I will conclude that I am thankful for all the blessings God showers upon my life and spirit! I am thankful for His sweet peace and quiet joy that don’t depend on circumstance. I am thankful for each breath, each sunrise and sunset, each view of the night sky filled with brilliant stars. I am thankful for the guardian angels who have ridden shotgun in my little white Jeep for the past seventy thousand miles. I am thankful for the Munson’s grassy ruts where I’ve learned more lessons about life than I can count. I am thankful for rowdy dogs and one particular old cat who love me unconditionally. I am thankful for my job and income. I am thankful for strong coffee, insulin, healthy food in abundance and clean drinking water. I am thankful for a body that still wants to dance and bend and hug and spin around with open arms. I am thankful for forgiveness and the ability to forgive. I am thankful for a mind that thinks and opines, and a heart that wishes and hopes and dares to believe in love. I am thankful for laughter and yes, even for tears. I am thankful that each of us exist at this moment in time. I am……..thankful!
May each of you be blessed this Thanksgiving day and every day!
